BMW 2-series Active Tourer revealed

BMW has taken the wraps of its front-wheel-drive Active Tourer ahead of its
debut at the Geneva motor show

BMW has tested the faith of its hardcore fans with the ground-breaking reveal of a car that most people would never associate with the brand: a front-wheel-drive people carrier called the 2-series Active Tourer.

The 2-series Active Tourer is a bold step towards a more practical future that started with the roomier GT hatchback versions of the 3-series and 5-series. It also features another brand-busting innovation from the company in the form of a new 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine that also does service in the BMW i8 electric sports car and the recently launched new Mini.

The new car incorporates many tricks that owners of MPVs have come to appreciate, including sliding rear seats to boost the boot room, cupholders able to swallow 1.5-litre bottles, a flat-folding passenger seat to expand load space and reclining rear seats that split into three.

At 4.4m long and 1.6m tall it almost perfectly mirrors its direct rival in this premium small MPV sector: the Mercedes B-class. The success of that car has spurred BMW on, but first it needed to switch drive to the front wheels rather than the traditional rears to maximise the interior space. BMW claims this gives it an “unprecedented feeling of spaciousness” as well as a 468-litre boot.

Three all new transversely-mounted engines were developed from the same modular family, including the 136hp 1.5-litre, here badged 218i that promises a sub 10sec sprint to 62mph but with a claimed economy of 58mpg and CO2 emissions of 115g/km.

A bigger 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo makes 231hp in the 225i to create a sporting family mover with the guts to hit 62mph from rest in 6.8sec, while a new 150hp 2.0-litre diesel in the 218d is quoted as returning 69mpg with emissions of 109g/km.

It might be roomy, but it’s still sporty claims BMW. The low kerbweight at just 1,320kg of the 218i will help, as well a multi-link rear suspension setup. We’re told BMW has eliminated any possibility of torque steer through the front wheels.

Innovations include the option of a full colour head-up display, as well as guided cruise control via the ConnectedDrive package that includes steering assistance to add an element of semi-autonomous driving in traffic jams.

The BMW 2-series Active Tourer will make its debut at the Geneva motor show on March 4. It is due to go on sale in the UK in September, with prices starting at about £23,000.